Track lining scope



Sept. 25, 1956 .1. L. MGMILLAN 2,763,931

TRACK LINING SCOPE Filed March 6, 1953 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR John L. M Millan ATTORNEYS "Se t. 25, 1956' J. L. MCMILLAN 2,763,931

TRACK LINING SCOPE Filed March 6, 1953 4 Sheefs-Sheet 2 FIG. 3. M

FIG 4 I M -r." 36

INVENTOR John L. H Millie?! ATTORNEYS Sept. 25, 1956 Filed March 6, 1953 J. L. MCMILLAN 2,763,931

TRACK LINING SCOPE 4 Sheets-Sheet S INVENTOR John L. M Millan ATTORNEYS J. L. MOMILLAN 2,763,931

TRACK LINING SCOPE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 II II EVMMF W M 7 1 2 M 1,5," 5 We FIG.8.

Sept. 25, 1956 Filed March 6, 1955 United States Patented Sept. 25, 195

TRACK LINING SCOPE John L. McMillan, Springfield, Ill., assignor to Brice E. Hayes, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 6, 1953, Serial No. 340,870 Claims (Cl. 33-60) This invention relates to improvements in optical instruments, and more particularly to a device used for lining railroad tracks.

The proper maintenance of a railway requires periodic inspection of the tracks in order to ascertain whether or not the rails are in proper alignment so that the rolling stock will have relatively smooth rails upon which to ride. Telescopes have been used in the past for lining tracks, but they have usually been ex ensive adaptations of the standard survcyors transit. Accordingly, the use of telescopes has been limited because of their high cost and delicacy, and the relatively extensive training which an operator must receive in order to properly use and handle such instruments. Heretofore ith'as been necessary for railroads wishing to use telescopic means for lining tracks to either employ transit operators having the equivalent skill of a surveyor or assign their apprentice civil engi neers to such work.

However, the present invention is a rugged inexpensive device that is sufliciently simple, so that with a minimum of instruction a road gang foreman can learn to use it with great facility. This lining scope has many advantages, for with the aid of a telescope that is stronger than the human eye and a vertical cross hair that is many times more accurate, tracks can be thrown to an unwavering straight line. Furthermore the cross hair reference line eliminates the indecision of the foreman which usually holds up the gang. This saves time for the gang and gets the lining Work done faster and more accurately. A180, Since th his simp e de i e he ervices of an apprentice railroad engineer are n01 required. to run the transit, the labor cost of this work is not increased, and the increased productivity of the gang quickly pays for the cost of the instrument.

The primary object of this i vention is to provide an improved track lining instrument which will accurately and quickly indicate the permanent displacement of a track by means more inherently suited for this work than those hitherto known or used on railroads.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an improved optical instrument on a support which may be readily adapted to fit upon the rail of a railroad track, to the end that the vertical hair line of the optical instrument will fall directly in line with the gage side of the rail.

Another object of this invention is'to provide a track lining instrument which can be operated by relatively unskilled employees.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a track lining instrument which is readily secured to the rail of a trackand whiohrequires but a minimum of ad justment to make the device operable.

A further. object of this; invention is to provide a track ni g i t umen in w ch he ccur y: of h nst he t isb t n it he fac or-y rather th n b ependent on. the skill of the operator.

I s a st urth r obje of. s nvention to pro ide. a ug e rack; in in trumen -wh ch has a minimum.

2 of parts, is of minimum size, may be collapsed into compact form for transportation and storage when not in use, is considerably less expensive than any similar device known, and requires a minimum of care and maintenance.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lining scope;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the lining scope;

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the lining scope;

Figure 4 is a perspective of the lining scope showing how the telescope traverses on the gage side of a rail;

Figure 5 shows how the vertical cross hair of the telescope appears to the viewer when the instrument is prope ly leveled on the track;

Figure 6 is a partially sectioned plan view of the lining scope taken along the line 66 of Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary section showing the base of the lining scope taken along the line 7-7 of Figure 1;

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view of the base of the liniug scope;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 2, and

Figure 10 is a fragmentary section taken along the line 1i,l10 of Figure 1.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustran. is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 generally indicates the lining scope which is comprised principally of a base 11, a staff 12, a fine adjustment device 13, a sleeve 14 and a telescope 15.

Referereuce is first made to base 11 (Figure 7'), which is an inverted Ll-shaped bracket comprising base top plate 16, gage side plate 17 and field side plate 18. The inner face of gage side plate 17 is lined with a resilient facing 19 and secured thereto by any suitable means such as fiat head screws 20. In the center of field side plate 18 is a threaded boss 21 adapted to receive clamping screw 22 which carries a pivotally mounted bearing plate 23 on its one end and a; knurled clamping knob 24 on its other end. On the under face of base top plate 16 is secured. a triangularly shaped rocking bar 25 which extends parallel to gage side plate 17 and is spaced laterally from side plate 17 so asto bear on the center of; the. tread 26 (Figures 2 and 3) when resilient facing 19 is-brought to bear against the gage side 27 of the track. On the top face of top plate 16 intermediate rocking bar 24 and field side plate 18 is an upstanding boss 28 suitably threaded to receive leveling screw 29 which may be. rotated downwardly into contact with the surface of tread 26 so as to adjust the attitude of rocking bar 25. On the top end of leveling screw 29 is suitably secured a knurled knob 30 for applying torque to leveling screw 29 aswill be subsequently explained.

Staff 12 is rigidly non-rotatably secured to the edge of basetop plate 16 adjacent the upper edge of gage side plate 17. Staff 12 is perpendicular to the plane of base top, plate 16 and so aligned with base top plate 16 that the plane of the gage side of the track coincides with the longitudinal axis of staff" 12 when the scope is in adjusted position on the track. At the base of staff 12 and resting on the face of base top plate 16 is a sleeve rest 31 upon which fine. adjustment device base 32 rests when. sleeve 14 is in the lowered position. This sleeve rest 31 maintains the fine adjustment device 13 and sleeve 14: spaced apart from base 11 to save these parts from damage bycontact Wlthkl'lOb 30 when the sleeve is telescoped prior; to storing- Fine adjustment device 13, best shown in Figures 2, 3, 6' and 9, comprises a base plate or member 32 having an opening embracing the staff12 and, at its opposite end, a pair of upstanding integral lugs 33 and 34, the former of which is provided with a threaded bore and the latter with an inwardly facing recess constituting a spring seat. integrally. secured to the sleeve 14 is a laterally projecting sleeve traversing lever 37, disposed immediately above the base plate 32 and having its free end spaced between the lugs 33 and 34. A screw 35, threaded in the bore in arm 33 has one end bearing against the lever 37 and the other end provided with a knob 36. A spring 38 having one end seated in the recess in the lug 34 bears against the opposite face of arm 37. The plate base 32 is held against movement relative to the sleeve 14 and arm 37 by a depending clip 41, 'securedto the sleeve and having its lower end turned inwardly, under the plate 32, as .shown in Figure 9. releasably secured in predetermined relation to the shaft 12 by a set screw 39 having a'knurled head 49 integral therewith. Secured to one side of sleeve 14 is a telescope mounting 4 is brought to bear on the field side of the track with moderate pressure whereupon leveling screw 29 is run down until spirit level 53, s' 'cured transversely across the top face of base top plate 16, indicates that the base is level, which accordingly automatically aligns staff 12 into the vertical position.

Because sleeve 14 is free to rotate on staff 12 when height holding screw 39 is loosened the operator may then bring hair line 46 of telescope into approximate alignment with the gage side of the track by manual rotation of sleeve 14. When the hair line 46 is within a few degrees of alignment, further precise alignment may easily and readily be obtained by rotation of screw 35 The plate 32 is adapted to be r arm 42 which extends forward of sleeve 14 sufficiently to permit telescope 15 to be rotated to a vertical position parallel to sleeve 14 and to clear the upper end 12 of staff 12 (Figure 1) when sleeve 14 is lowered by telee scopic movement along the staff. As shown in Figure 10, telescope 15 is secured to mounting arm 42 by means of telescope sleeve 43, having a laterally projecting boss 43' extending through the arm. Sleeve 43 is secured in arm 42 by threaded stud 44 and knob 44'. Stud 44 is'rigidly secured in boss 43 and as knob 44' is threaded onto the stud, sleeve 43 is drawn into pressure contact with arm 5 42. Knob 44' is prevented from loosening by set screw 45, and lock washer 45a. Plain washer 45b provides a bearing surface between lock washer 45a and arm 42. Set screw 45 locks the telescope 15 against rotation and longitudinal displacement in sleeve 43.

Telescope 15 is so mounted that vertical cross hair 46, best seen in Figure 5, is in line with the gage side of the track, when the instrument is properly leveled and clamped. Any standard telescope, such as a rifle scope sight, may be used on this instrument provided it has a vertical cross hair and can be aligned with the gage side of a track as above described. It has been found that a six power telescope gives very good results for this kind of work. On each end of the telescope are inserted rubber extenders 47 (Figure 1) which are removably placed there to protect the optics from the weather and unnecessary or inadvertent wear and tear. A rearview mirror 48 is clamped to the top portion of sleeve 14 by means of an extensible mirror staff 49. The sleeve 14 is connected to the base 11 by means of a restraining chain 50 (Figures 2 and 3) which is of suitable length to prevent the operator from inadvertently disengaging the sleeve 14 from the staff 12.

The mounting and operation of the lining scope will now be explained and discussed. In order to secure the base 11 to a railway track it is first necessary to raise the sleeve 14 an inch or so, in order to permit the leveling screw 29 to be run up until its lower end is somewhat closer to the base top plate than is the knife edge 51 of rocking bar 25. Height holding screw 39 is backed off and sleeve 14 is slid upwardly on staff 12 to a height suitable to the operator of the lining scope. Clamping screw 22 is backed off until the lateral distance between resilient facing 19 and bearing plate 23 is somewhat greater than the width of the tread 26 of the track. With the lining scope 10 in front of the operator and the staff 12 on the gage side 27 of the track, base 11 is then set down over the ball of the track 52 until knife edge 51 of rocking arm rests on'the tread 26 of the track. With the staff inclined slightly to the operators right, bearing plate 23 and leveling screw 29 are brought into contact with the ball 52 of the track. Bearing plate 23 either clockwise or counter-clockwise whichever may be required. As is best seen in Figures l and 6 sleeve traversing lever 37 is rigidly secured to sleeve 14, the end of which is spring-biased into positive contact with the end portion of traversing screw 35 by means of spring 38 which is intermediate the traversing lever 37 and base lug 34. Thus, it may be seen that a slight turn of traversing screw knob will result in a corresponding transverse shift of verticalcross hair 46.

When the lining scope 10 has been clamped to the rail, properly leveled and elevated to a comfortable working height for the operator, the instrument is ready for use. After the vertical cross hair 46 has been aligned as above described, and as best shown in Figure 5, the

; operator will then take a sight on a fixed point ahead within the range of the telescope, as shown in Figure 4 and using this as a reference point, by slowly traversing the telescope downwardly any variance in the alignment of the track will become readily apparent since the gage side of the track will leave the hair line of the telescope at this point. The operator can then signal the road gang which way to throw the track so as to bring it into proper alignment.

The rear view mirror 48 is approximately at the operators eye level and to his left near the center of the tracks. This mirror is a valuable and much needed safety feature which has been incorporated with the scope for the protection of the operator. 'Because the operator must of necessity at times work with his back toward approaching trains and because of the usual noise in the vicinity in which the gang is working, as well as other noises common to areas adjacent to railroads, it is entirely possible for a train, hand car, or any other type of rolling stock to run down an operator without warning. It

would not always be possible for the gang to warn the operator of such danger due to the distance at which the gang is working from the operator or due to the aforementioned noises.

It is to be noted that by tilting the telescope slightly it is possible to follow the gage side of the road with absolute accuracy, thereby permitting the gang to work toward or away from the operator without the necessity of assigning a man to hold a marker. In case of 7 emergency the entire instrument can be removed from the track within a fraction of a second by giving clamp knob 24 a fraction of a backing up turn whereupon the instrument can be lifted off of the track. Because rails sometimes have a diagonal gage side, to accommodate the flange of the car wheels, resilient facing 19 has been provided to line the face of gage side plate 17 to compensate for this. Thus the lining scope may be secured quickly and positively to any size rail in current use even though the gage side of the rail is either worn or was normally manufactured with a slant for the flange of the wheels.

When no further use is required of the lining scope it can be quickly removed from the track as above described, and then by releasing height holding screw 39 the sleeve 14 can be telescoped down over stafi 12 making the instrument reasonably compact for storing in a small carrying case which may be carried with no more discomfort than that experienced by earnying a medium sized suit case.

it is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferred .emhodimentlof the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be re.- sonted to, without departing from the spirit .of my in- Mention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

' 1. A lining scope for measuring dater a-l displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted .thshaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staff secured to said base; a telescope supporting sleevp mgtmtegl for ye r tical a intent on said staff; a telescope mounted on said ve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in the vertical plan o the s side of the sh sa d telescope be n carried above said sleeve by means of a telescope mounting arm secured dhereto and disposed to permit rotation of said telesgope into a vertical position parallgl to said sleeve and clear of said staff, whe r hy said slegge may be lowered on said staff.

2. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staff secured to said base; a telescope sup porting sleeve mounted for vertical adjustment on said staff; a telescope mounted on said sleeve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in'the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, and chain means securing said sleeve to said base so as to limit the upward adjustment of said sleeve.

3. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement or a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staif secured to said base; a telescope supporting sleeve mounted for vertical adjustment on said staff; a telescope mounted on said sleeve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, said U-shaped base being substantially wider than the ball of the track and comprising: a horizontal top plate having a gage edge and a field edge; a spirit level secured transversely to the upper surface of said top plate; a knife edge bar secured along the longitudinal axis of the under face of said top plate and disposed :to rest on the tread of the track; means for rocking said base about said knife edge; a. first side plate depending from the gage edge of said top plate and being lined with a resilient pad for engagement with the gage side of the track; and a second side plate depending from the field edge of said top plate having means for clamping said base to the ball of the track.

4. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staff secured [to said base; a telescope supporting sleeve mounted for vertical adjustment on said staff; a telescope mounted on said sleeve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, said scope having a fine adjustment device for incremental horizontal rotation of said sleeve about said staff comprising: a member disposed adjacent the lower end of said sleeve for vertical adjustment on said staff; means for locking said member to said staff; a sleeve traversing arm secured to said sleeve; and traversing means mounted on said member for engagement with said traversing arm.

5. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically &

upstanding staff srecgred to-said base; a telescope sup hunting sleeve, mounted for ygrtical adjustment on said stafl; a telescope mounted on said sleeye for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible i the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, said ;U.-shaped base being substantially wider than the ball .of the track and comprising: a horizontal top plate having a gage edge nd field edge; a spirit level secured transversely to the upper surface of said top plate; a knife edge bar secured along the longitudinal axis of the under face of sai top pla e and disposed to rest .on the tread of the track; means for rocking said base ahput said knife .edge; a first side plate depending from the gage edge .of .said top plate and being lined with a iresilientpad for engage: ment with the gage side of the track; and a second side plate depending from the field edge .of said top plate having means for clamping said has; to {the hail of the track; said clamping means comprising a screw in threaded engagement with said second side plate and having a bearing plate pivotally secured to the end .of said screw intermediate said side plates; and means for rotating said screw whereby said bearing plate is1brought into clamping engagement with the field side of the track.

6. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staff secured to said base; a telescope supporting sleeve mounted for vertical adjustment on said staff; a telescope mounted on said sleeve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, said U-shaped base being substantially wider than the ball of the track and comprising: a horizontal top plate having a gage edge and a field edge; a spirit level secured transversely to the upper surface of said top plate; a knife edge bar secured along the longitudinal axis of the under face of said top plate and disposed to rest on the tread of the track; means for rocking said base about said knife edge; a first side plate depending from the gage edge of said top plate and being lined with a resilient pad for engagement with the gage side of the track; and a second side plate depending from vthe field edge of said top plate having means for clamping said base to the ball of the track; said means for rocking said base comprising: a screw in threaded engagement with said top plate and extending vertically downward through said top plate adjacent said knife edge bar for engagement with the tread of the track; and means for rotating said screw whereby said base may be adjusted to horizontal position as indicated by said spirit level.

7. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising: an inverted U-shaped base adapted to be secured to the ball of a track; a vertically upstanding staff secured to said base; a telescope supporting sleeve mounted for vertical adjustment on said staff; a telescope mounted on said sleeve for rotation about a transverse horizontal axis wherein the longitudinal axis of said telescope is traversible in the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, said scope having a fine adjustment device for incremental ho 'zontal rotation of said sleeve about said staff comprising: a member disposed adjacent the lower end of said sleeve for vertical adjustment on said staff; means for locking said member to said staff; a sleeve traversing arm secured to said sleeve; and traversing means mounted on said member for engagement with said traversing arm; said traversing means comprising: upstanding lugs secured to said member on opposite sides of said traversing arm; a screw mounted in one of said lugs for contact with said traversing arm; and biasing means intermediate the other of said lugs and said traversing arm for maintaining positive contact between said traversing arm and said screw.

8. A lining scope for measuring lateral displacement of a railroad track comprising a vertically upstanding staiiatelescope adjustably mounted on the upper end portion of said staff for operative traversal in. the vertical plane of the gage side of the track, and means for securing said staff to the ball of a track, said securing means comprising a horizontal top'plate secured to the lower end portion of said staff and having a gage edge and a field edge, a spirit level secured transversely to theupper surface of said top plate, a longitudinally extending knife edge bar on the under face of said top plate and disposed to rest on the tread of the track, a first side plate depending from the gage edge of said top plate and being lined with a resilient pad for engagement with the gage side of thetrack, a second side plate depending from the field edge of said top plate, means for rocking said top plate and sideplates about said knife edge, and means for clamping said top plate and side plates to the ball of the track.

9. A lining scope of the character described in claim 8 wherein said rocking means comprises a screw in threaded engagement with said top plate and extending vertically downward through said top plate adjacent said knife References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 420,245 Rose Jan. 28, 1890 979,53] Melvill Dec. 27, .1910

1,199,059 Doty Sept. 26, 1916 2,093,949 Baldwin Sept. 21, 1937 FOREIGN PATENTS 417,788 Germany Aug. 18, 1925 840,496 France Jan. 16, 1939 

